Controlled volume blast valve



Nov. 15, 1960 .1. F. GRIMLAND ETAL 2,960,083

CONTROLLED VOLUME BLAST VALVE Filed Sept. 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Joseph E Grim/and Char/es J. Grim/and I N VEN TORS.

CONTROLLED VOLUME BLAST VALVE Joseph F. Grimland, Marietta, Ga., andCharles J. Grimland, Waco, Tex., assignors to Grimland CompanyManufacturers Ina, Marietta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Sept.17, 1957, Ser. No. 684,494 Claims. ((1124-11) This invention relates'ingeneral to new anduseful improvements in pneumatic valves, and morespecifically to a valve which is of the controlled volume blast type.

In order to provide for indoor training, the armed services aredeveloping pneumatic actuator units which may be placed in a weaponbarrel so that smaller projectiles may be projected from the weaponbarrel through a smaller barrel. Inasmuch as these practice units arenot only used for the purpose of teaching units how to load and fire theweapons, but also to train the weapons, it is necessary that there beprovided means for accurately propelling the projectiles from thetraining units.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide acontrolled volume blast valve which is of such a construction whereby itmay be mass produced with normal tolerances and is of such a naturewhereby the same projecting force will be exerted upon a projectiledisposed in a barrel connected to the valve during each and every firingoperation for each of the numerous valves which may be manufactured.

Another object of this invention is to provide a controlled volume blastvalve which is so constructed whereby the valve has an internal airsupply of sufiicient capacity to provide for the'necessary projecting ofa projectile and the valve is not dependent upon any flow from apressure source during the discharge thereof whereby accurate controlsfor supplying air-to the valve are no longer necessary.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved valve for usein conjunction with a barrel for projecting a projectile, such as asimulated mortar shell, from the barrel, the valve being so constructedwhereby it has a relief valve to relieve the air from within the barrelas the projectile slides down thebarrel and such relief valve isautomatically closed by engagement of the projectile with the reliefvalve and a control valve member of the valve is moved to an openposition whereby an air supply under pressure is communicated with theatcnt 2,960,083 Patented Nov. 15, 1950 ice gagement with the barrel andmoving elements of the valve to operating positions whereby a controlledvolume of air may be blasted into the barrel to project the projectiletherefrom;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse horizontal sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of Figure2 and shows the general arrangement of a manual operator and the airsupply line for the valve;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of Figure2 and shows the internal construction of the valve taken through the airsupply chamber thereof; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged bottom view of the valve with the cover thereofhaving a portion thereof broken away in order to show the details of theconnection between the manual operator and the relief valve.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated in Figure l a mortar which is referred to in general by thereference numeral 10. The mortar 10 includes a base plate 12 and atripod l4. Seated on the base plate 12 is a lower end member 16 of abarrel 18. The tripod M is provided at the upper end thereof with atraining mechanism 20 in which an upper portion of the barrel 18 ismounted whereby the barrel 18 may be trained onto a target. It is to beunderstood that the mortar 10 is of a conventional construction,

Mounted within the barrel 18 is a pneumatic projectile projectingtraining unit which is referred to in general by the reference numeral22. The training unit 22 includes a controlled volume blast valve, whichis the subject of this invention the valve being referred to in generalby the reference numeral 24. Connected to the valve 24 and supportedthereby is a small diamlower end of the barrel to project the projectilethere- 1 from.

A further object of this invention is to provide'a controlled volumeblast valve which is of such a nature whereby it may be placed into aweapon barrel, such as the barrel of a mortar, the valve beingself-contained and being normally operated by the dropping of aprojectile into engagement with a component thereof, and there alsobeing provided a manual actuator whereby the valve may be manuallyunloaded prior to disassembly.

These together with other objects and advantages which I will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the ac- 1 companying drawings forming a part hereof,wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational viewof a mortar which is set up and which isequipped with a pneumatic projectile eter barrel 26 which is disposedconcentric to the barrel 18 and which projects slightly out of thesupper end thereof. Also connected to the valve 24 is an air supply line28 which has connected thereto an air supply hose 30 which in turn isconnected to a pressure regulator 32 carried by an air supply tank 34.The purpose of the training unit 22 is to permit the mortar 10 to befired Within an armory or the like so as to teach troops in the use ofthe mortar 10. However, in order that the troops may learn the trainingof the mortar with respect to a target, it is necessary that aprojectile, such as the projectile 36 illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, beaccurately fired from the training unit 22.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 in particular, it will be seen that thecontrolled volume blast valve 24 includes a housing which is referred toin general by the reference numeral 38. The housing 38 is formed of acylindrical body member 40 which has the lower end thereof recessed asat 42 and which has seated in the recess 42 a lower end member 44. Theend member 44 is retained in place by an inturned annular flange 46 onthe extreme lower end of the body member 40. Further, the lower endmember 44 is sealed with respect to the body member 40 by means of anO-ring 48.

The upper end portion of the body member 40 is internally recessed as at50 and has seated therein an upper end member 52. The upper end member52 is retained in place by an inwardly turned annular flange 54 in theextreme upper end of the body member 40. Further, the upper end member52 is sealed with respect to the body member 40 by means of an O-ring56. Thus the body member 40, the upper end member 52 and the lower endmember 44 define a storage chamber 58 for a predetermined volume ofcompressed air.

Extending through the center of the upper end member 52 is a circularcross-sectional opening which is referred to in general by the referencenumeral 68. The opening 60 includes a restricted central portion 62, anenlarged lower portion 64 and a still larger internally threaded upperportion 66. Threadedly engaged in the upper portion 66 is the lower endof the barrel 26.

The lower end member 44 is provided with an opening therethrough whichis referred to in general by the reference numeral 68. The opening 68 isdisposed in alignment with the opening 60 and includes an upper portion70 and an enlarged internally threaded lower portion 72.

Passing through the opening 68 is a plug member which is referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 74. The plug member 74 includes a head76 which engages the underside of the lower end member 44 and whoseshape facilitates the turning of the stud member 74. A lower portion ofthe stud member 74 is externally threaded as at 78 and engaged with theinternally threaded portion 72 of the opening 68. The stud member 74also includes a main body portion 80 which extends through the upperportion 70 and into the chamber 58. The upper portion 70 is sealed withrespect to the opening 68 by means of an O-ring 82.

Telescoped over the upper part of the body portion 88 is a sleeve 84.The sleeve 84 has the upper end thereof disposed within the lowerportion 64 of the opening 68 and is sealed with respect to the upper endmember 52 by means of an O-ring 86. It is to be understood that the fitbetween the sleeve 84 and the body portion 80 is such so as to preventthe escape of air therebetween.

The sleeve 84 is provided immediately below the underside of the upperend member 52 with a plurality of circumferentially spaced dischargeports 88. Disposed within the sleeve 84 and normally closing thedischarge ports 88 is a valve member 90. The valve member 90 is providedwith O-rings 92 and 94 which are disposed above and below, respectively,the discharge ports 88 when the valve member 90 is in a closed position.The valve member 90 is normally retained in a closed position by meansof a spring 96 which is in engagement with the lower end thereof andwhich is seated in an upper recess 98 formed in the body portion 80 ofthe stud member 74;

The valve member 90 includes an upper end portion 100 which is of areduced cross-section and which extends upwardly into the lower end ofthe barrel 26. The body member 100 is provided with a pressure relievingbore 102 therethrough which is normally communicated with the interiorof the barrel 26 for a reason to be described in detail hereinafter.Extending through the bore 102 is a valve stem 104 of a relief valvewhich is referred to in general by the reference numeral 106. The valvestem 104 is of a much smaller diameter than the diameter of the bore 102so as to permit air flow through the bore 102around the valve stem 104.The relief valve 106 also includes a head 108 which is engageable with avalve seat 110 formed at the upper end of the valve member 90surrounding the bore 102. The head 108 is provided with a surface 112which is complementary to the valve seat 110 for sealing engagement withthe valve seat 110 to close the bor 182.

Disposed outwardly from the center of the housing 38 and extendingthrough the lower end member 44 and the upper end member 52 are alignedbores 114 and 116, respectively. Extending through the bores 114 and 116is a sleeve 118. The sleeve 118 has an outwardly flared lower end 120which engages the under-surface of the lower end member 44 and which issealed relative thereto by means of an O-ring 122. The upper end of thesleeve 116 is also outwardly flared as at 124 and is sealed with respectto the upper end member 52 by means of an O-ring 126.

Extending freely down through the sleeve 118 in spaced relation theretois an actuator rod 128. The actuator rod 128 extends up out of themortar barrel 18 and is provided with an offset handle 130 at the upperend thereof. The actuator rod 128 is provided at the lower end thereofwith a reduced externally threaded portion 132 which receives a bar 134held in place by a nut 136. The bar 134 extends radially from theactuator rod 128 and has the opposite end thereof disposed immediatelybelow the head 76 of the stud member 74.

The stud member 74 has a bore 138 which opens through the head 76.Extending down through the bore 138 is a removable extension 140 of thevalve stem 104. The extension 14!) passes through an opening 142 in thebar 134 and is provided with a head 144 which underlies the bar 134.Also disposed within the bore 138 is a coil spring 146 which extendsbetween the bar 134 and the valve stem 104 so as to normally retain therelief valve 106 in an open position.

The actuator rod 128 is normally retained in an inoperative position bymeans of a coil spring 148. The coil spring 148 has the lower endthereof bearing against a washer 150 which in turn rests against theoutwardly turned upper end 124 of the sleeve 118. The upper end of thespring 148 compressibly engages a washer 152 carried by the actuator rod128 and limited in upward movement by a pin 154.

The air supply line 28 is provided at the lower end thereof with asuitable fitting 156. The fitting 156 is threadedly engaged in aninternally threaded upper portion 158 of an air supply passage 160formed in the upper end member 52 in diametrically opposite relation tothe bore 116.

The mechanism at the bottom of the valve 24 is normally encased in acover 162. The cover 162 is held in place by suitable fasteners 164which are removably threadably engaged with the lower end member 44.

At this time it is pointed out that while the diameter of the bodymember 40 has been illustrated as being the same as that of the barrel18, when it is desired to use the valve 24 and larger bore mortars, itis merely necessary to provide the housing 38 with an adapter ring (notshown) which will center it with respect'to the larger bore barrel.

In the operation of the training unit 22, the regulator 32 is set at thedesired pressure and the valve 166 of the compressed air storage tank 34is opened. This will then result in the supplying of air to the airsupply chamber 58 under the desired predetermined pressure. Thepressure, of course, will depend upon the facilities available and willcontrol generally the range of the flight of the projectile 36.

These preliminary steps having been taken, the mortar 10 is operated inthe conventional manner with the smaller projectiles 36 being droppedinto the smaller barrel 26 of the training unit 22. In order that theprojectile 36 may be effectively projected from the barrel 26, it isnecessary that the projectile 36 have a relatively close fit withrespect to the barrel 26. Thus as the projectile 36 is dropped into thebarrel 26, air pressure would normally build up in the lower end of thebarrel 26 unless vented. Thus the relief valve 106, being in its openposition, permits the air to flow out through the lower end of thebarrel 26 down through the bore 102, through the lower end member 44 andback up through the sleeve 118. When the projectile 36 reaches the lowerend of, the barrel 26, it engages the head 108 of. the relief valve 106andmoves it downwardly so that it forms a seal with the valve seat 110thus closing the bore 102. Further downward movement of the projectile36 results in the downward movement of the valve member 90 to theposition illustrated in Figure 3. In this position the discharge ports88 are uncovered and as a result, the air stored under pressure in thechamber 58 is immediately discharged into the lower end of the barrel 26so as to project the projectile 36 therefrom. It is to be understoodthat the volume of air disposed Within the chamber 58 will be sufiicientto project the projectile 36 from the barrel 26 and the valve does notrely upon the flow of air into the chamber 58 through the air supplyline 28 at this time. It is merely necessary that the air supply line 28be cap-able of recharging the chamber 58 in between the firing ofprojectiles.

As soon as the pressure within the lower end of the barrel 26 isreduced, the relief valve 106 and the valve member 90 Will return totheir normal positions of Figure 2 and the training unit 22 is ready forreceiving another projectile.

The manual actuator rod 128 is normally not used during the firingoperation of a projectile. However, in the event the projectile for somereason or another does not open the valve member 90, then the valvemember 99 may be moved to an open position by pulling the relief valve106 down utilizing the actuator rod 128. Further, when it is no longerdesired to use the training unit 22, the valve 166 of the supply tank 34is closed after which the valve 24 is manually opened and all of thecompressed air in the valve 24 and the supply lines is exhausted.

From the foregoing description of the valve 24, it will be seen thatthere has been developed a very simple valve which may be mass producedand at the same time will provide controlled volumes of air to bedischarged into a barrel, such as the barrel 26 at each operation.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A controlled volume blast valve for a pneumatic projectile projector,said valve comprising a housing including a body member and upper andlower end members defining an air storage area, a sleeve extendingbetween said upper and lower end members through said air storage area,air discharge ports in said sleeve, a valve member slidably mounted insaid sleeve and sealed relative to said sleeve for controlling air flowthrough said discharge ports, an opening in said upper end memberaligned with said sleeve, said valve member projecting into saidopening, means on said upper end member for securing a barrel thereto inalignment with said opening whereby when said valve member is depressedby a projectile placed in said barrel, a controlled volume blast of airwill be directed through said opening and into the barrel to projectsaid projectile, and an air inlet fitting on said housing, an airpressure relieving bore through said valve member, a valve seat on theupper end of said valve member surrounding said air pressurerelievingbore, a relief valve, said relief valve including a stem passing throughsaid air pressure relieving bore with clearance to permit the flow ofair and a head normally disposed above said valve member and seatable onsaid valve seat to close said air pressure relieving bore.

2. A controlled volume blast valve for a pneumatic projectile projector,said valve comprising a housing including a body member and upper andlower end members defining an air storage area, a sleeve extendingbetween said upper and lower end members through said air storage area,air discharge ports in said sleeve, a valve member slidably mounted insaid sleeve and sealed relative to said sleeve for controlling air flowthrough said discharge ports, an opening in said upper end memberaligned with said sleeve, said valve member projecting into saidopening, means on said upper end member for securing a barrel thereto inalignment with said opening whereby when said valve member is depressedby a projectile placed in said barrel, a controlled volume blast of airwill be directed through said opening and into the barrel to projectsaid projectile, and an air inlet fitting on said housing, an airpressure relieving bore through said valve member, a valve seat on theupper end of said valve member surrounding said air pressure relievingbore, a relief valve, said relief valve including a stem passing throughsaid air pressure relieving bore with clearance to permit the flow ofair, a head normally disposed above said valve member and seatable onsaid valve seat to close said air pressure relieving bore, andindividual springs engaging said valve member and said relief valve andnormally retaining said valve member in a closed position and saidrelief valve in an open position.

3. A controlled volume blast valve for a pneumatic projectile projector,said valve comprising a housing including a body member and upper andlower end members defining an air storage area, a sleeve extendingbetween said upper and lower end members through said air storage area,air discharge ports in said sleeve, a

valve member slidably mounted in said sleeve and sealed relative to saidsleeve for controlling air flow through said discharge ports, an openingin said upper end member aligned with said sleeve, said valve memberprojecting into said opening, means on said upper end member forsecuring a barrel thereto in alignment with said opening whereby whensaid valve member is depressed by a projectile placed in said barrel, acontrolled volume blast of air will be directed through said opening andinto the barrel to project said projectile, and an air inlet fitting onsaid housing, an air pressure relieving bore through said valve member,a valve seat on the upper end of said valve member surrounding said airpressure relieving bore, a relief valve, said relief valve including astem passing through said air pressure relieving bore with clearance topermit the flow of air, a head normally disposed above said valve memberand seatable on said valve seat to close said air pressure relievingbore, and a manual actuator connected to said relief valve stem, saidmanual actuator including an operating rod extending through andsupported by said upper and lower end members, and a handle disposedremote from said housing.

4. In combination with a mortar barrel, a pneumatic projectileprojector, said projector comprising a housing including a body memberand upper and lower end members defining an air storage area, a practicebarrel secured to a central portion of said upper end member, meanssecured to said housing supporting said projector within said mortarbarrel with said practice barrel being disposed coaxial with said mortarbarrel, a sleeve extending between said upper and lower end membersthrough said air storage area, air discharge ports in said sleeve, avalve member slidably mounted in said sleeve and sealed relative to saidsleeve for controlling air flow through said discharge ports, an openingin said upper end member aligned with said sleeve and opening into saidpractice barrel, said valve member projecting into said opening, an airinlet fitting on said housing, an air line extending from said housingthrough the space between said practice barrel and said mortar barreland out through the end of said mortar barrel, an air pressure relievingbore on said valve member, a valve seat on the upper end of said valvemember surrounding said air pressure relieving bore, a relief valve,said relief valve including a stem passing through said air pressurerelieving bore with clearance to permit the flow of air, and a headnormally disposed above said valve member and seatable on said valveseat to close said air pressure relieving bore, said relief valveprojecting above said upper end member andinto said practice barrel forengagement by a projectile to operate said projectile projectorautomatically upon the dropping of a projectile into said practicebarrel.

5. In combination'with a mortar barrel, a pneumatic projectileprojector, said projector comprising a'housing including a body memberand upper and lower end members defining an air storage area, a practicebarrel secured to a central portion of said upper end member, meanssecured to said housing supporting said projector Within said mortarbarrel with said practice barrel being disposed coaxial with-said mortarbarrel, a sleeve extending between said upper and lower end membersthrough said air storage area, air discharge ports in said sleeve, avalve member slidably mounted in said sleeve and sealed relative to:saidsleeve for controlling air flow throughsaid discharge ports, an openingin said upper end member aligned with said sleeve and opening into saidpractice barrel, said valve member projecting into said opening, an airinlet fitting on said housing, an air line extending from said housingthrough the space between said practice barrel and said mortar barreland out through the end of said mortar barrel, an air pressure relievingbore on said valve member, a valve seat on the upper end of said valvemember surrounding said air pressure relieving bore, a relief valve,said relief valve including a stem passing through said air pressurerelieving bore with clearance to permit the flow of air, a head normallydisposed above said valve member and seatable on said valve seat toclose said air pressure relieving bore, said relief valve projectingabove said upper end member and into said practice barrel for engagementby a projectile to operate said projectile projector automatically uponthe dropping of a projectile into said practice barrel, and a manualactuator for said valve member, said manual actuator being connected tosaid valve stem and including an operating rod extending in the spacebetween said practice barrel and said mortar barrel, said operating rodterminating in a handle disposed above and exteriorly of said mortarbarrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS495,767 Winans Apr. 18, 1893 2,713,859 Bradfield July 26, 1955 2,809,624Beoher et a1 Oct. 15, 1957

